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deBolex Engineering

The Thruxton R as a stock bike is most people’s dream cafe racer. Customiser deBolex took the already fantastic proportions and tweaked the formula to create a minimalistic lightweight racer.

deBolex’s instinct is to make a few styling and performance changes but not to mess too much with the stock bike. As founder Calum Pryce-Tidd explains: “Triumph put a lot of time and effort into designing a bike – they know what they’re doing.”

Keep it simple

“We don’t like to mess with the DNA too much,” Calum says, “but we do like to make a few well-chosen upgrades.” Subtly is in their blood at deBolex, all of their customs have an air of authenticity about them – this is very much a Thruxton R.

Far from the chunky scrambler builds or bulky artistic bikes (they have their place, of course) this Triumph is extremely lean. Minimal bodywork, a tidied-up rear end and racing number on the front. It’s a build that draws on the functional, big engine and lightweight frame era of motorcycle racing. Think 1960s Isle of Man TT.

Stripped back

Even with the beefy 1200cc parallel twin, deBolex has made the bike look relatively slim. A two-into-one exhaust and sleek seat padding helps, alongside more aggressive cut-ins on the custom aluminium tank.

“We stripped it back to the engine and frame, before rebuilding all the panels. The frame and engine are stock, but we’ve put a new ECU and quick-shifter on it with a number of different maps to make sure it goes as good as it looks.”

It will have to go fast because it looks like it’ll go from 0 to 60 in two seconds. Other additions from deBolex are custom faring, Maxton forks and rear shocks, and huge Brembo brakes. Taking a little more than four months, this Thruxton R is now fully formed. “We’re really happy with it,” Calum says. “It’s one of my favourites.”